


Shock To The System

by CountessKlair



Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Adam is a dumbass, Because I can, Bobby Marks can suck an egg, Felix Picks Pockets, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Sexual Tension, Unit Bravo is a Family, gratuitous description of eye color, love them as a plot device though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-27 08:26:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16215257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CountessKlair/pseuds/CountessKlair
Summary: Adam is determined not to get close to Agent Kingston’s son. He’s determined to get through this assignment without knowing one thing about him. Nate and Felix think Adam is a dumbass.





	Shock To The System

**Adam POV**

I stabbed a finger in Felix’s direction, practically hissing, “Stop saying that, we won’t be telling the Detective, nobody is telling the Detective anything!”

I was sick of having this same exact argument every time the four of us were alone. This time, the argument was happening in my motel room, a somewhat dusty but all too cheerfully decorated thing in the only motel in all of Wayhaven.

The very idea of telling Will—the  _detective—_ anything about the paranormal not only went against our direct orders but was an argument that had been settled no less than five times since Agent Kingston had assigned us as a protective detail for her son. 

A  _discreet_  protective detail, as I kept having to remind the others, especially Felix, who could never resist a good vampire pun.

“Oh, of course,” Felix rolled his eyes, lips twisting in a mocking smile from where he was perched on the motel armchair, “Because keeping things from humans has always worked out so well, historically speaking.”

Mason, amusing himself in the corner of the room, didn’t look up while saying around the cigarette between his lips, “But that’s what he’s hoping for. See, Adam  _wants_  to get the human killed, and then all of us killed as well when we report in to Rebecca.”

I felt my blood pressure skyrocket. “I thought you were on my side, to not tell him.”

Mason glanced up, shrugging noncommittally.

Sitting precariously at the small, rickety breakfast table shoved into one corner of the room, Nate grinned at me, eyes twinkling. “Now that’s three votes against one. And tonight, while we’re on patrol, will be the perfect opportunity!”

“I’m not voting for anything,” Mason drawled, “And I’m certainly not voting for telling the human anything.”

Nate deflated a little. “Well, that’s still two votes for.”

Felix made a small sound.

Nate twisted in his seat, gasping dramatically. “Traitor!”

Felix laughed, “Love you too, Nate.”

I rubbed my eyes with my hands. “Nate-”

“No, no, I get it,” Nate sighed, settling his long, gangly body back into his chair. “I still don’t like it.”

“I know,” I said softly.

“And I am gonna continue to fight you on it,” Nate said matter-of-factly.

“I know,” I repeated, feeling my shoulders tense up again at the thought.

“And I am gonna lord it over you when Will finds out on his own that we’re vampires,” Nate’s mouth twitched, his eyes glimmering devilishly.

“I know,” I nearly growled through grit teeth.

I could practically hear the delight Nate, Felix, and Mason were taking in the direction the conversation had turned.

Especially when Nate continued, “Because even Mason’s admitted William’s pretty damn smart and he has a habit of running into trouble headfirst, and you yourself have even commented that humans, in general, have a habit of finding out things that are none of their business, and Will is, after all, a Detective-”

“I know, I know, I know, for the love of - I KNOW!” I snapped at him, my shoulders up around my ears with tension.

Mason chuckled, always delighted at my irritation.

I knew all of that, I did, and though I wasn’t about to tell any of the vampiric vultures in the room, I definitely knew it was only a matter of time before somebody slipped up, or Murphy revealed all of himself, or Will walked right out—the  _detective—_ walked right out and stumbled into a vampire feeding ground by sheer dumb luck.

But that didn’t mean I was going to go against regulations and orders and tell him anything.

A knock on the motel room door interrupted my fuming, and I stalked over to wrench the door open, denting the knob a little in the process. “What.”

A young boy, probably still in high school, dressed in an intensely unfashionable fast food uniform stared up at me in fear, holding out a large pizza box. “Uh, gee, I’m sorry to disturb you, sir, but…” awkwardly, the young boy gestured with the pizza box, “Uh, your pepperoni and extra cheese.”

I turned to glare at the suddenly silent members of the room. “Which one of you ordered pizza?”

Felix hopped up, skipping over to the door, “That’d be me, fearless leader,” and he proceeded to grab the pizza and turn away from the door, asking disinterestedly over his shoulder, “Would you mind tipping him, Adam, I’m starved.”

I rolled my eyes, trying desperately not to snarl at him or the innocent pizza boy still waiting anxiously in the doorway. I reached into my back pocket.

And found nothing in my wallet’s usual place.

_But of course._

I turned on Felix and Nate, both of whom were completely absorbed in the pizza. And therefore, completely ignoring me, but I could tell by the set of their shoulders that they were both aware of my gaze.

Felix had somehow gotten into the habit of honing his pickpocketing skills on me, and Nate could sometimes be convinced to join in if Felix sweet talked him enough. This was the third time this month one of the two of them had lifted something from me, and I was getting incredibly sick of it.

Very calmly, I bit out, “My wallet seems to be missing.”

I waited, angrily, aware that the pizza boy standing outside the doorway was starting to shrink inwards on himself in fear as I spat, “You two wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, now would you?”

I tried to remind myself that I did love them both, really, but goddamn they didn’t make it easy.

Finally, they both looked up. 

Nate smiled blandly, Felix blinked all too innocently at me and said, “Oh no, did you leave your wallet at the police station again?”

“You know,” Nate chimed in, “I think that’s where it is. I distinctly remember it being on Detective Kingston’s desk right before we all left.”

The kid in the doorway stopped me from invoking divine vengeance by stuttering out, “Oh, no, sirs, you don’t have to worry about it. You gave me a tip when you ordered online.”

Felix’s eyes widened slightly, and he beamed brightly, “Oh, that’s right! Well, thank you, sonny, have a nice evening!”

The kid stood there for a second, staring somewhat awestruck at Felix until he blinked and flushed bright crimson from his forehead to his neck and practically bolted back towards his car.

I let the door fall shut with a loud thunk.

Felix and Nate, who had turned back away from me, did not look up from their pizza. 

Mason had gone back to playing with his lighter, though his eyes darted back and forth between myself and the two busybodies sitting in the room.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “Felix-”

“It’s such a shame,” Felix said loudly, covering my words with his own, “that my memory and Adam’s isn’t as good as Nate’s.”

Mason snorted from the corner but didn’t comment.

Nate nodded sagely. “That’s very kind of you, Felix.”

Then Nate turned towards me, smiling cheerfully. “Will you be going back to the police station to collect your wallet before we head out to patrol?”

I thought about answering him.

I also thought, very briefly, about throwing him into a wall. 

Or through one, maybe. 

It wasn’t like it’d hurt him.

Permanently.

Then I turned on my heel and stalked out the door, ignoring the victorious giggling happening behind me.

The one good thing about having to go back to the station at six o’clock at night was that surely Will— _Detective Kingston—_ would be home by now, as would almost everyone else who worked at the minuscule station. There was no chance I would run into anyone while getting my wallet.

—————

Just as I’d hoped, Douglas was nowhere to be found at the front desk when I walked back into the precinct. As I made my way towards the detective’s office, I thought about avoiding everyone until eight and doing another search of the warehouse. I knew it was unlikely that we had missed anything, but I’d rather waste time searching the warehouse again than sit around with the unit and listen to Nate and Felix tease me while Mason smoked.

As I neared the closed office door, I finally registered the voices coming through from the office.

The detective’s voice, low and uncharacteristically angry, as he hissed, “Look, you made your point with the article, all I’m asking is for you to just cool it.”

I paused outside the door, breathing in deep without quite meaning to, and I felt my whole body tense at the acidic mix of anger, panic, and disgust weaving through the detective’s blood.

The other person in the room laughed, the mocking sound of their voice raising my guard as they purred, “What would you suggest, keeping secrets from the public?”

“I would suggest,” the detective snapped, “that you don’t cause undue panic in a small town, cause if you keep writing stories like this you're gonna incite a riot!”

There was the sound of heavy paper hitting a surface and I remembered the hometown paper that Nate had carefully flung at my face earlier that morning, the headline blaring ‘ _Police Baffled By Murders! Can They Protect Us If They Don’t Know What’s Happening?’._

If I had to guess, I’d say that the other person in the room was the author of said article, what was their name…

The other voice scoffed. “Only because you can’t seem to do your job,  _Detective_.”

“What are you even here for, Bobby.” The detective’s voice was tight with anger.

Bobby Marks, that was the author’s name.

Bobby’s voice was much deeper than before when he replied, “I’m here for you, angel.”

There was a pause, the sound of shuffling feet and a soft thud, followed by a sharp inhaling gasp. 

Will’s scent deepened with confusion and fear, his heart beating much faster.

Before I knew it, I had yanked open the door, sudden righteous fury pushing me forward.

Will and Bobby’s head’s both snapped towards me in shock. Will’s back was pressed up flush against the wall, hunched inwards on himself and decidedly away from Bobby, who was standing completely within Will’s space, leaning in so close Bobby’s face was within three inches of Will’s, Bobby’s hands planted on the wall on either side of Will’s waist.

I felt my face draw together into a positively predatorial expression. “Bobby Marks. Correct?”

Bobby, eyes wide and pulse racing, terror searing through his scent, nodded dumbly.

I looked him up and down, slowly, and when I met his eyes I said, my voice frigid with distaste, “Detective Kingston and I have police business to discuss. You need to leave the premises immediately.”

Bobby pushed away from the wall, stepping back, and I watched as relief flooded Will’s expression, his soft brown eyes sweeping up to meet mine.

I looked away, watching Bobby adjust his clothes before giving me a smarmy smile. “And who are you, to kick out a member of the press?”

I let my expression harden like stone, taking immense pleasure in the sudden paling of Bobby’s face. Very deliberately, I said, “I am Commanding Agent du Mortain, and you need to leave the premises.” 

I took a step forward, edging myself to stand between Bobby and Will.

Bobby’s eyes darted over me.

I glared harder, nearly snarling. “Now.”

Bobby’s eyes narrowed at me, and he argued, “You can’t order me to do anything,  _Agent_.”

My patience, which had already been worn thin, finally broke.

“You have given me no choice but to escort you out of the building.” I snapped.

Bobby blinked. “Wait, what?”

I reached out, clasping Bobby’s shoulder a little tighter than I normally would for a human and I shoved him forward, ignoring his sharp protests.

I lead him all the way back outside like that, Will trailing behind us, Bobby spitting crass insults at the both of us that fell on my completely uncaring ears.

After pushing Bobby out of the station’s front doors, I shoved him, just a little, watching him stumble towards the parking lot. 

And then, because I couldn’t help myself, I called after him, “Thank you for your cooperation.”

Bobby turned to give me a truly poisonous look before practically throwing himself into his car.

I watched him drive away, tires protesting slightly, not thinking about why in the hell I had just done that.

Suddenly, Will started laughing.

I turned to face him, and all my breath completely left my lungs.

The setting sun was shining on him, turning deep tawny skin burnished gold, his plush mouth stretched wide in bright amusement as he laughed, and then he looked up, those velvet soft eyes punching right through me.

I realized then that his eyes weren’t brown, not really. They were a deep, deep honey hazel color, streaks of green shot through the irises alongside blue and grey flecks. The way the light hit them made them look like some sort of magical gemstone.

He didn’t seem aware of how he looked to me in the sunset, blissfully laughing, he reached out and captured one of my hands in both of his, his palms warm and callused, his fingers slipping between my own.

Will, still laughing, managed, “Ok, look, you probably shouldn’t have done that because the only reason I never have is that he’d write a story on it, which looking at where we are right now is something we really don’t need, but honestly?”

He beamed up at me, eyes shining. “That was the best thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”

Will seemed a lot closer to me than he had just a moment before, though he certainly hadn’t moved. His lashes were long, ink-dark against his cheeks as he blinked, his skin flushing softly as he continued to stare back at me.

I could smell the stirrings of arousal coming off of him, his pulse quickening, and I couldn’t make myself look away from him, couldn’t even begin to think about moving away from him when he was so warm and soft and sweet in all of my senses. 

When he spoke again, his voice was lower. “Thank you, Adam.”

I fought a sudden reaction at the way he said my name.

“For what?” My voice, unbidden, came out just as low as his, and rough like I’d gargled gravel.

The wind blew the front of Will’s glossy black hair, usually worn in a neatly kept undercut, into his eyes, and I was overcome with the desire to reach out with my other hand and push my fingers into that thick fringe.

Will licked his lips, and I couldn’t help but track the movement. “For having my back. Thank you.”

Like a rush of cold water over my body, I remembered what I was supposed to be doing in Wayhaven, that this human was under my protection and was supposed to be kept completely in the dark with all things paranormal, and I jerked away from him.

I felt the unexpected absence of his body heat like a shock to the system, and I tried to pull my self back together, away from whatever that moment had been, back to being in Commander mode.

The detective blinked, confused, like someone waking up from a dream.

I took another step back, finding it both easier and harder to breathe with the distance, though for very different reasons that I wouldn’t allow myself to think about. 

I cleared my throat, saying in an all-too-loud voice, “It’s my job to have your back.”

The confusion on his face vanished, and he nodded, reaching up to push his hair back into place. 

I did not let myself watch the movement.

The detective adjusted his blazer, setting his shoulders and body posture back into the posh professional stance I was used to. “Of course, Agent du Mortain.”

I didn’t think about the small disappointment of hearing him call me ‘Agent’ instead of ‘Adam’.

Before the situation could get any more out of hand, I narrowed my eyes at him and snapped, “Don’t be late tonight, we’ll all be at the Town Square at eight-thirty sharp.”

Will, no, Detective Kingston nodded seriously. “I will be on time. See you then.”

We stared at each other for a moment longer, and then, nearly at the same time, turned in opposite directions and walked away. Detective Kingston walked back into the police station, and I started walking anywhere but where I was.

I realized, suddenly, that I hadn’t grabbed my wallet.

Cursing softly, I kept walking. I wasn’t about to go back in now. I’d get my wallet tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

> find my Wayhaven stuff on tumblr at marriedtoseangayle. also please play this game it's $5 on your local app store as The Wayhaven Chronicles (also Steam) and it's really really good.


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